Sport: MLB

With the World Series in the rear-view mirror, it is officially time to turn the page to 2026. Some fantasy baseball addicts are already drafting for next season. Draft season is the best season and is coming quicker than you may realize. The goal of this article is to help give fantasy baseball managers a general overview of the third base position in 2026. Who is elite? Who has breakout potential? Which players could see regression from their 2025 success? All of these questions and more are answered in the article below.

You can check out the 2025 third base recap here.

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The Elite Fantasy Baseball Picks
Jose Ramirez – Cleveland Guardians

Jose Ramirez is as consistent as consistent comes. Ramirez has ranked toward the top of the third base ranks in fantasy baseball for years now. 2026 does not project to be any different. In his age-32 season, Ramirez slashed .283/.360/.503 with 30 home runs and 44 stolen bases. 2025 was the second consecutive season in which Ramirez went 30/40. That marked seven straight seasons in which Ramirez went 20/20.

Ramirez is a true five-category contributor for fantasy baseball managers. There have not been any signs of decline in Ramirez’s profile. He is sure to be a first-round pick again in 2026.

Junior Caminero – Tampa Bay Rays

While Jose Ramirez is the proven veteran, Junior Caminero is the flashy up-and-comer who is coming for the top spot. Caminero struggled early on in 2025 before making a slight adjustment to his swing. Once Camineor started getting more lift on the ball, his numbers took off. He finished the season with 45 home runs.

His power surge propelled fantasy baseball teams to championships as Caminero hit .282 in the second half. The main area of concern is Caminero’s hit tool. His whiff and chase rates were both below the league average. However, Caminero is still only 22 years old. There is room for Caminero to get even better, and he has already shown game-changing power at the Major League level. Caminero will rank amongst the top third base options for fantasy managers in 2026.

Fantasy Baseball Sleeper Candidates
Matt Shaw – Chicago Cubs

Expectations were high for Matt Shaw entering 2025. The first round pick from 2023 posted impressive numbers throughout the Minor Leagues and was poised to step into an everyday role to start 2025.

Shaw struggled early on, resulting in a demotion back to Triple-A. He returned to the Major Leagues on May 19 and looked much more comfortable. The biggest difference was Shaw’s improved power. From August 5 forward, Shaw slugged .475 with seven home runs. His barrel, pull, and fly ball rates all increased significantly, supporting Shaw’s power surge.

Shaw’s lackluster rookie season will likely push him down draft boards in 2026. Progression is not always linear, and Shaw showed positive signs at the end of 2025 that should have fantasy football managers excited about his future.

Sal Stewart – Cincinnati Reds

Sal Stewart finally started receiving some attention in the dynasty community midway through the 2025 season. That attention shifted to the redraft community as Stewart earned a Major League promotion at the beginning of September.

In 18 Major League games, Stewart hit .255 with five home runs. This came after Stewart hit .309 with 20 home runs and 17 stolen bases in the Minor Leagues.

Future expectations surrounding Stewart’s hit tool and speed should be tempered. He is a below-average runner, and his aggression at the dish could get him in trouble against Major League pitching. However, Stewart has significant power. He posted an elite barrel rate, excellent exit velocities, and a great feel for getting to his pull side.

Stewart should be in line for an everyday role in 2026 while getting to play his home games in Great American Ballpark. His power could turn him into a valuable fantasy asset at a cheap draft price for 2026.

2025 Seasons to be Wary Of
Ernie Clement – Toronto Blue Jays

Consistent playing time in a super utility role quietly turned Ernie Clement into a valuable fantasy asset in 2025. In 157 games, Clement hit .277 with nine home runs and six stolen bases. None of the numbers jump off the page, but his 83 runs scored helped push Clement into a 3B9 finish for fantasy managers.

Looking ahead to 2026, banking on Clement to return similar value again would be a mistake. In 436 Major League games, Clement owns a career 87 wRC+ and was below average offensively again in 2025. Banking on run-scoring stats from a utility player would be a mistake for fantasy baseball managers. Clement offers virtually no ceiling and will not finish as a top 12 third baseman again in 2026.

Eugenio Suarez – Free Agent

One of the most notable free agents this offseason, Eugenio Suarez, put together an excellent 2025 season. In 159 games between Arizona and Seattle, Suarez hit 49 home runs, matching his career high. However, Suarez’s numbers dipped significantly following his trade to Seattle. After batting .248 with the Diamondbacks, Suarez’s average dropped to .189 with Seattle.

Strikeouts, which have been a concern throughout Suarez’s career, were once again a problem. Suarez struck out 35.9% of the time with Seattle. On the season, Suarez’s whiff rate ranked in the fourth percentile, and his chase rate was well below the league average. Suarez’s power gives him a steady floor that fantasy baseball managers can count on, but expecting him to finish as a top-five third baseman again in 2026 would be a mistake.

Prospects Set to Make a Fantasy Baseball Impact
Brock Wilken – Milwaukee Brewers

Milwaukee’s 2025 season was obviously fantastic. However, the Brewers struggled to find consistency from the third base position. Their first round pick from 2023 could be an answer as early as 2026.

Wilken appeared in 79 games at Double-A in 2025. In those 79 games, he hit a modest .226, but did manage to hit 18 home runs. Wilken’s low batting average is partially due to a low BABIP, but is also due to an overly patient approach that leads to a high strikeout rate. The bright side is that Wilken also walked over 20% of the time last season and finished with a 159 wRC+. These on-base skills, combined with Wilken’s substantial power (18 home runs last season), should pique the intrigue of fantasy managers whenever Wilken is promoted next season.

LuJames Groover – Arizona Diamondbacks

The assumption is that Jordan Lawlar will be given every opportunity to earn the starting third base job in 2026. He has been the team’s top prospect for years now and should finally get an extended look next season.

However, Lawlar has struggled to the tune of a .165 batting average through his first 108 Major League plate appearances. If Lawlar struggles again, LuJames Groover could get a look early on.

Groover was the team’s second-round pick back in 2023 and has done nothing but hit since being drafted. In 123 games this past season, Groover hit .309 with 12 home runs. Groover’s polished approach and hit tool give him an extremely high floor, and his raw power should continue to improve.

Pay Attention to the Off-Season
Do the Mets let a young player take over at third base?

The key to answering this question likely boils down to what happens with Pete Alonso. The Mets already have a hole at second base. They also do not seem committed to keeping Mark Vientos at third base.

Letting Alonso walk would allow the team to shift Vientos to first base and let one of their young players play third base consistently. Brett Baty, Ronny Mauricio, and Luisangel Acuna have all shown flashes. Mauricio has a blend of power and speed, Baty has the most raw power and upside, while Acuna has plus speed. There is fantasy value to be had from whoever the Mets third baseman is in 2026. This is a situation to monitor closely throughout the off-season.

Where does Alex Bregman land?

Alex Bregman is the highest-profile third baseman free agent. Making the move from Houston to Boston did not slow down Bregman’s production at all. In 114 games, Bregman hit .273 with 18 home runs and a 125 wRC+.

Now, the biggest question is where Bregman lands in 2026. Nothing in Bregman’s profile stands out as overly exciting. He does not hit the ball very hard, but what he does do well is pull fly balls. With the Crawford Boxes in Houston and the Green Monster in Boston, Bregman used both of these to his advantage.

If Bregman lands in a park that is less favorable to his batted ball profile, fantasy baseball managers could see some serious regression. Considering how thin the third base position is, Bregman’s landing spot holds significant fantasy implications.

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